Convertible chair



July 24, 1962 H. FOWLER 3,046,050

CONVERTIBLE CHAIR Filed Sept. 8, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. HUGH FOWLER ATTORNEY July 24, 1962 H. FOWLER 3,045,050

CONVERTIBLE CHAIR Filed Sept. 8, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 h; ATTORNEY 3,046,050 JONVERTIBLE CHAIR Hugh Fowler, 126 Lebanon Hilts Drive, Pittsburgh 28, Fat. Filed Sept. 8, 1960, Ser. No. 54,699 8 Claims. (Cl. 297-118) This invention relates to an-article of repose and more particularly to a combined chair and cot.

An object of this invention is to provide an article of repose that is convertible from cot to a chair.

Another object of this invention is to provide a supporting member for supporting the body of a person in either the prone, supine, reclined or sitting position.

A further object of this invention is to provide an adjustable article of repose having a minimum number of pivotal adjustments.

A preferred form of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of an article of repose in a'position to receive the human body in an erect supine position.

FIGURE 2 is a perspective View of the supporting members adapted to support the body supporting frame.

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged sectional view illustrating pin means for securing the body supporting frame to the supporting members.

FIGURE 4 is a view in section taken along the line 44 of FIGURE 3 illustrating the pin member in detail.

FIGURES 5 and 6 are similar to FIGURES 3 and 4 and illustrate the pin member in a closed and locked position.

FIGURE 7 is a view in side elevation of my article of repose adapted to receive the human body in the supine reclined position.

FIGURE 8 is a view similar to FIGURE 7 illustrating my article of repose adapted to receive the human body in a supine erect position.

FIGURE 9 is a view in side elevation illustrating my article of repose arranged to receive the human body in a prone position.

Referring to the drawings, the device of the invention includes a rectangular body supporting frame 18' which is formed of two U shaped members 12 and 14 pivotally secured to each other at 16 by studs, bolts or the like. The U-shapted member 14 has a downwardly bent portion 15. The body supporting frame is covered with a fabric 18 in a conventional manner. If desired, the frame 10 may be covered on both sides in cocoon-like fashion.

The body supporting frame 10 is supported by a pair of supporting members generally designated by the numerals 2t and 22 which are formed of tubular material and are similar in shape. The supporting member 29 will be described in detail and similar parts of supporting member 22 will have corresponding numerals with a prime suffix.

The supporting member has a first leg portion 24 and a second leg portion 26 that are arranged in spaced converging relation to each other. Legs 24 and 26 are joined at their ends by a first base portion generally designated by the numeral 28 and a second base portion generally designated by the numeral 39. The first base portion 23 has an outwardly curved intermediate portion 32 which forms a first arm 34 between the first leg 24 and the curved portion 32, and a second arm 36 between the curved portion 32 and the second leg 26. The internal angle formed between the first leg 24 and the arm 34 is an obtuse angle that is greater than 90. The second leg 26 and second arm 36 form an inner acute angle therebetween.

The second base portion 30 has an inwardly curved intermediate portion 38 which has an external angle less than 180. The external angle formed between arms Patented .Iuly 24, 1962 34 and 36 is greater than The supporting members 20 and 22 are secured to each other in spaced parallel relation by connecting members 40 and 42 which are secured to the respective legs 24, 24', and 26, 2 6. The base portion 28 has a pair of pin receiving slots 44 and 46 extending therethrough. Similarly, second base portion 30 has another pair of pin receiving slots 48 and 50 extending therethrough. The slots 48 and 50 are adapted to receive pin members 52. The body supporting frame 16 has four pin receiving slots 54 (two of which are clearly shown in FIGURE 1).

The body supporting frame It) is detachably secured to the supporting members 20 and 22 by means of the pins 52. The body supporting member 10 has slots 54 extending through the U-shaped members 12 and 1-4 as illustrated in FIGURES 3 through 6. The body supporting frame 10 is positioned with the pin receiving slots 54 overlying the respective slots 44, 46-44, 46' or 48, 50 48, 58, depending on the type of article of repose desired. The pin 52 is inserted through the overlying slots 5444 as illustrated in FIGURES 36. The pin members have a U-shaped resilient end portion 56 (FIGURE 4), pivotally secured to the pin member body portion 58. The body portion 58 has a pair of slots 60 therein which are adapted to receive the flared portions 62 of U-shaped end portions 56. The end portion 56 is arranged to extend beyond the overlying tubular portions 14 and 30 as illustrated. The pin members 52 are locked in place by means of pivoting end portions 5d and inserting the flared side portions 62 in the body portion slots 60. In this manner the body supporting frame 10 is easily and quickly attached to the supporting member base portions Sit-30" or 2828, depending on the type of article of repose desired.

To illustrate the versatility of my article of repose, reference is directed to FIGURES 7 through 9. In FIG- URE 7 the body supporting frame 10 is secured to the second base portions 3tl-3ti' and the first base portion arm 36 serves as the floor contacting portion. In this position the body supporting portion 10 is adapted to receive a human body in a supine reclined position, that is, the individual will be lying on his back with his face upward. The body supporting frame bent portion 15 serves as a means to support the legs in an elevated position.

In FIGURE 8 the 'body supporting frame 10 is secured to a second base portion and the first arm 34 serves as the ground contacting portion of first base member 23. In this position the article of repose is adapted to receive the human body in a seated, substantially upright position.

In FIGURE 9 the supporting members 20 and 22 have been inverted, that is, the first base portion 28 is above the second base portion 39 as contrasted with the arrangement in FIGURES 7 and 8 where the second base portion 35 was above the first base portion 28. Referring again to FIGURE 9, the body supporting frame 10 is secured to the first base portion 28 by means of pins 52 as has been previously described. The planar shape of the body supporting frame It) is modified to conform to the curve of the first .base portion 28 by pivoting the U shaped frame members 12 and 14 about the pivot pin 16.

According to the provisions of the patent statutes, I have explained the principle, preferred construction, and mode of operation of my invention and have illustrated and described what I now consider to represent its best embodiment. However, I desire to have it understood that, within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically i1- lustrated and described.

I claim:

1. An article of repose for supporting the body of a person comprising in combination a body supporting frame consisting of two sections pivotally connected to each other, supporting means for said body supporting frame, said supporting means having a first base portion and a second base portion, said first base portion being curved and having converging surfaces, said converging surfaces forming an external angle greater than 180, said second base portion having curved converging eX- ternal surfaces forming an external angle at its intercept that is less than 180, said supporting means adapted to receive said body supporting frame in a first position in which said body supporting frame is secured to said first base portion in a manner that said body supporting frame serves as a cot to support the human body in a substantially prone position, said second base portion serving as a floor contacting means, said supporting means adapted to receive said body supporting frame in a second position in which said body supporting frame is secured to said second base portion in a manner that said body supporting frame serves as a chair to support the human body in a sitting position, and said supporting means first base portion serving as a floor contacting portion.

2. An article of repose for supporting the body of a person comprising in combination a body supporting frame consisting of two sections pivotally connected to each other, supporting means for said body supporting frame, said supporting means having a first base por tion and a second base portion, said first base portion having an outwardly curved surface and said second base portion having an inwardly curved surface, said supporting means adapted to receive said body supporting frame in a first portion in which said body supporting frame is secured to said first base portion in a manner that said body supporting frame serves as a cot to support the human body in a substantially prone position, said second base portion serving as floor contacting means in said first position, said supporting means adapted to receive said body supporting frame in a second position in which said body supporting frame is secured to said second base portion in a manner that said body supporting frame serves as a chair to support the human body in a sitting position, and said supporting member first base portion serving as a floor contacting portion in said second position.

3. An article of repose for supporting the body of a person comprising in combination a body supporting frame consisting of two sections pivotally connected to each other, a pair of polygonal supporting members, means securing said supporting members to each other in spaced parallel relation, said supporting members adapted to support said body supporting frame, said supporting members each having a pair of legs arranged in spaced converging relation to each other, a first base portion connecting said pair of legs and having an outwardly bent intermediate portion, and a second base portion connecting said legs and having an inwardly bent intermediate portion, said supporting members adapted to receive said body supporting frame in a first position in which said body supporting frame is secured to said first base portion in a manner that said body supporting frame serves as a cot to support the human body in a substantially prone position, said second base portion serving as a floor contacting means in said first position, said supporting members adapted to receive said body supporting frame in a second position in which said body supporting frame is secured to said second base portion in a manner that said body supporting frame serves as a chair to support the human body in a sitting position, and said supporting member first base portion serving as a floor contacting portion in said second position.

4. An article of repose for supporting the body of a person comprising in combination a body supporting frame consisting of two sections pivotally connected to each other, a pair of polygonal supporting members, means securing said supportingmembers to each other in spaced parallel relation, said supporting members adapted to support said body suporting frame in a first position and a second position, said supporting members each having a pair of legs arranged in spaced converging relation to each other, a first base portion connecting said pair of legs and having an outwardly bent intermediate portion forming a first arm and a second arm, and a second base portion connecting said legs and having inwardly bent intermediate portions, said supporting members adapted to receive said body supporting frame in said first position in which said body supporting frame is secured to said first base portion in a manner that said body supporting frame serves as a cot to support the human body in a substantially prone position, said body second base portion serving as a floor contacting means in said first position, said supporting members adapted to receive said body supporting frame in a second position in which said body supporting frame is secured to said second base portion in a manner that said body supporting frame serves as a chair to support the human body in a sitting position, said first base portion first arm serving as a floor contacting portion in an erect sitting position and said second arm serving as a floor contacting portion in a reclining sitting position.

5. An article of repose for supporting the body of a person comprising in combination a pair of U shaped sections having free end portions, said U shaped section free end portions pivotally secured to each other to form a rectangular body supporting frame, one of said U shaped sections having a downwardly bent intermediate portion, a pair of polygonal supporting members, means securing said supporting members to each other in spaced parallel relation, said supporting members adapted to support said body supporting frame, said supporting members each having a pair of legs arranged in spaced converging relation to each other, a first base portion connecting said pair of legs and having an outwardly bent intermediate portion, and a second base portion connecting said legs and having an inwardly bent intermediate portion, said supporting members adapted to receive said body supporting frame in a first position in which said body supporting frame is secured to said first base portion in a manner that said body supporting frame serves as a cot to support the human body in a substantially prone position, said second base portion serving as a floor contacting means in said first position, said supporting members adapted to receive said body supporting frame in a second position in which said body supporting frame is secured to said second base portion in a manner that said body supporting frame serves as a chair to support the human body in a sitting position, said body supporting frame downwardly bent portion serving as a leg support for a human body and said supporting member first base portion serving as a floor contacting portion.

6. An article of repose for supporting the body of a person comprising in combination a body supporting frame consisting of two sections pivotally connected to each other, a pair of polygonal supporting members, said supporting members being of similar shape and each having a first leg, a first base joined to one end of said first leg and forming an internal obtuse angle between said first leg and said first base, said first base having an intermediate outwardly bent portion, a second leg joined to the free end of said first base portion and forming an acute internal angle between said first base portion and said second log, a second base portion connected at one end to said second leg and forming an acute internal angle between said second leg and said second base portion, said second base portion having an intermediate inwardly bent portion, said second base portion joined to said first leg free end portion and forming an acute angle between said first leg and said second base portion, means securing said respective first and second legs to each other in spaced parallel relation, said supporting members adapted to support said body supporting frame in a first position and a second position, said supporting members adapted to receive said body supporting frame in said first position in which said body supporting frame is secured to said first base portion in a manner that said body supporting frame serves as a cot to support the human body in a substantially prone position, said second base portion serving as a floor contacting means in said first portion, said supporting members adapted to receive said body supporting frame in said second position in which said body supporting frame is secured to said second base portion in a manner that said body supporting frame serves as a chair to support the human body in a sitting position and said supporting member first base portion serving as a fioor contacting portion in said second position.

7. An article of respose as recited in claim 6 in which said :body supporting frame and said supporting members are formed of tubular metal framework and said body supporting frame includes a covering of fabric detachably secured thereto.

6 8. An article of repose as set forth in claim 6 in which said base portions include slotted pin receiving means and said body supporting frame includes projecting pins and means to secure said pins projecting from said body supporting frame in said respective base portion pin receiving means in both said first position and said second position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

